Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to child restraint systems, specifically to such restraint systems which are used for diapering activities.
2. Description of Prior Art
Many a care-giver has struggled to maintain a writhing infant in a suitable position for a diaper change. As babies learn to move about, they are less inclined to remain still when placed upon their backs. Commonly during a diapering activity, a growing infant will roll over, sit up, or push himself in a head-wise direction by planting his heels and thrusting his legs. In addition to causing considerable inconvenience to the care-giver, such movements create significant hazards. Sadly, many infants have suffered serious injuries after falling from elevated changing surfaces.
The patent record reveals a long history of inventions which have aimed to address these issues of safety and convenience. Many early designs including Pringle U.S. Pat. No. 2,102,281, Hoder U.S. Pat. No. 2,547,466, and Lovett U.S. Pat. No. 2,758,595 employ upper-torso restraint systems. Each of these devices requires that several components be interlocked to create a secure restraint. Such operations are particularly difficult for care-givers to perform when a child is writhing vigorously. As a result, any convenience such devices might offer through restraint of the child is likely negated by the inconveniences encountered while interlocking the components.
A trend towards less complexity is demonstrated in De Puy U.S. Pat. No. 2,846,700, Boudreau U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,540, and Eves U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,258; each of which utilizes a single cross-torso strap restraint. A basic version of the cross-torso strap restraint is in wide use today. Despite its popularity, this system does not provide adequate restraint for an active infant. It fails to prevent the child from rolling onto his belly, from sitting upright if the strap is located at or below his navel, or from thrusting himself in a head-wise direction. Though widely available and relatively simple by design, the cross-torso strap restraint has not adequately addressed the needs of care-givers as revealed by the continuing patent record.
Several later 20th century patents such as Hamann U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,669 and Kassan U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,654 call for larger-scale structures and mechanisms. The Hamann invention utilizes a separation panel designed to be placed across the child""s torso in order to keep the child""s arms separated from his lower half. Additionally, it includes ankle straps to separate the child""s feet and fasten them to the changing surface. Such a design limits the care-giver""s ability to raise the child""s lower half from the changing surface in order to clean the child""s bottom. The Kassan invention utilizes a multi-part stirrup device to maintain control over the elevation and separation of the child""s ankles. Such a system requires first, that each ankle be captured in the stirrups, and second, that someone or some additional structure provides lifting support for the stirrup device so that the diapering activity can be performed below it. The child can still twist her body, thrust her legs and generally move in an unsuitable way while this device is employed. Both the Hamann and the Kassan inventions are too costly for the average consumer because of the complexity of their designs. Furthermore, the Kassan design is somewhat imposing and may be threatening to a young child.
Recently, an interest in the upper-torso restraint concept has returned as revealed by Hayes U.S. Pat. No. Des. 393561 and Sartin U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,874. The Hayes design utilizes two strap restraints which pin the child""s shoulders down to the changing surface at points above each shoulder and below each armpit. Such restraints against the sensitive area beneath the arms may cause discomfort and aggravation, making the diapering process taxing for both child and care-giver.
The Sartin system employs a base structure upon which a child is laid and a tank-top shaped chest cover which is attached to the base structure at each shoulder and at each lateral side such that the child is sandwiched between the chest cover and the base structure. This four point attachment scheme may be too tedious for some caregivers who will decide not to bother with the four separate attachments after a few usages. Furthermore, repeated removal and reattachment of the detachable chest cover from the base structure increases the likelihood that the chest cover will be lost or misplaced away from the changing area. A hazardous situation could arise if a care-giver leaves a child unattended on an elevated changing surface to retrieve a misplaced chest cover.
As described in this section, each of these diaper-changing restraint systems suffers from one or more of the following disadvantages:
a) The design requires too many operational steps thereby negating any added convenience.
b) The design does not provide adequate restraint features, allowing movements such as rolling, sliding or sitting upright. Such movements are inconveniences for the care-giver, and, more critically, safety hazards for the child.
c) The design is too complex to manufacture at a cost that is reasonable for the consumer.
d) The design is imposing and may frighten the child.
e) The design is uncomfortable for the child.
f) The device has separable components which can be lost or misplaced after usage.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:
a) to provide improved convenience with a simple system requiring few operational steps;
b) to provide improved child safety during the diapering activity with adequate restraint features that resist movements such as rolling, sliding and sitting upright;
c) to provide an affordable diapering restraint system by limiting the part count and minimizing the design complexity;
d) to provide a diapering restraint system within which a child can feel unthreatened;
e) to provide a comfortable diapering restraint system that gently maintains the child in a proper diapering position;
f) to provide a fully connected diapering restraint system that maintains all components with the device at all times.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention are to provide a system that can be tailored to rest permanently upon a dresser or table top, or to fold neatly into the child""s travel bag.
In accordance with the present invention a diapering restraint system comprises a stable base upon which a child can be laid, and a plurality of restraining straps which are attached to the base and arranged such that they can be secured across the upper-torso of the child in a crisscrossing manner.